1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a power supply for a computer system, and more particularly to a power supply controller which monitors operating power of the computer system and upon detection of out-of-threshold supply power switches the system to battery power, which in turn has the ability to shut off certain non-essential components of the system in order to conserve battery power and system memory.
2. Description of Related Art
The power supply to a computer or computer system carries the responsibility of providing power usable to the computer. Because most computers require voltage and current different from that generated and transmitted by the local utility company, the computer power supply must convert the in-coming voltage and current to a voltage and current employable by the computer itself. For instance, most utilities in the United States produce power at 120 volts, in a 60 hertz, sinusoidal alternating current. The computer, however, requires in many cases, direct current at a significantly reduced voltage level. Thus, the power supply transforms the "utility power" into "computer power."
While power supplies for computers have existed for as long as computers requiring the power have existed, most power supplies heretofore known merely effectuate the proper power conversions without considerable interaction with the computer. As a result, little if any monitoring of the incoming power occurred. If, the local utility experienced a "brown-out" as is common during the summer months in hot climates, the power supply merely would attempt to transmit the low quality power to the computer. Often times, this poor power did not meet the manufacturer's power specifications and either would cause the computer to discontinue operation, lose data or potentially damage delicate components of the system.
Once the power level causes termination of computer operations all data and configurations stored within the computer evaporate. Most computer systems and power supply components thereof do not include a secondary power source for the computer when primary power either lacks the required quality or completely fails. Further, many of the power supplies commonly employed within computers and computer systems which do have some sort of battery back-up, fail to include life-extending control measures which increase the back-up power period. By prioritizing components which receive the alternate power flow, the secondary power source can function for considerably longer periods than if the entire system received power. Moreover, once secondary power is established the ideal system would continue to monitor the primary power source to determine if operating criteria returns; upon restoration of the primary power the ideal system would then reinstate the normal operating mode.
The need for such a power controller also exists within a system manager. A system manager typically interfaces with a network manager or network operating system to output operational data pertaining to the system and network management. The system manager, as a data collection device, requires continual monitoring of the power supply in order to maintain the data compiled during its cycle of operation. Further, the power supplies currently available do not meet the demands of such a system manager, which demands include analysis aspects of performance management and predictive failure aspects of fault analysis. Each of these analysis require observation of the input and supply power and safety measures designed to protect the volatile data stored by the system manager.
Thus, a power supply which monitors and controls the flow of supply power to a computer or computer system is needed. Further desired within such a power controller is secondary power source, or battery back-up, that saves the volatile data within the computer's memory until the main power returns to an acceptable level. In addition, it is desired that the secondary or battery back-up power last as long as possible, which life-extending measures would require selective operations of critical computer components.